


An Eye for an Eye

by wanderinghawke



Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Drack is Bamf, Game default Scott, M/M, Scott is a Vanguard, Story will switch pov, but what did you expect
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-01
Updated: 2018-01-09
Packaged: 2019-02-22 22:21:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13176417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wanderinghawke/pseuds/wanderinghawke
Summary: The life of a Pathfinder after saving Heleus is mostly boring.  Until it's suddenly more exciting than it needs to be.  Reyes is missing and Scott is terrified and angry.  He'll find Reyes no matter what it takes and kill anyone in his way.





	1. Faraway

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so this is my first fan fiction every! Woo! I've got the next three chapters written out already they just need to be edited. I don't have a beta reader so all mistakes are mine!

The vastness of space lay before him, stars in all their brilliance twinkled out the window dancing around the glowing center of H-047c.  Scott stood at the window next to his bed, gazing into the beyond, one hand rested on the glass and the other holding a datapad.  What was it Suvi had said the first time they arrived in this system?  

 _"Stars are born out here."_  Sam repeated in his head then was quiet again. Yeah. What he wouldn’t give to be around to see that!  The birth of a brand new star...He couldn’t even imagine.  The thought made him smile as the heart of the system illuminated his walls in a soft blue glow, casting his desk in soft shadows.  

He, Drack and Vetra had just returned from what little was left of the Turian golden world.  Nothing more than a piece of rock with meager gravity and fatal levels of radiation. The Nexus still stationed colonists here to help with the effort of mining Helium-3. They lived within the old mining domes that had once belonged to the exiles.

Before Scott had shown up and cleared them all out...

He sighed, breath hitting the window and fogging it for a few seconds before disappearing into the air.  He tried to ignore it, to push it away, to rationalize it.  He was an Alliance soldier, he was a guard at the Arcturus relay, he’d seen some action. Nothing huge, but he had shot another living being or two.  That hadn’t prepared him for this job. The crushing guilt he felt at the sheer number of lives he’d taken would press in on him during the night when he had too much time to think.  It wasn’t like it hadn’t been self defense.  The exiles shot first.  He wanted to talk to them, to get them back on the Initiatives side, it would have been a great win for them all. Working together to fuel all their ships.

They all died on that planet at his hands.

Just like the Badlands on Kadara.  Just like the endless Elaaden desert...

 _Maybe I should talk to Lexi._   He knew he wouldn’t.

 _“You had to survive for your people to survive. You had no choice.”_  Sam said in a matter-of-fact tone that grated on him.  He knew Sam was trying to help, but he wouldn't really understand what Scott was feeling.

“Yeah. I know Sam.  Doesn’t make it any easier.” Scott said aloud, trying to shake the feeling off.  

 _Think about something else.  Anything else._ He told himself as his hand dropped from the window and he moved into his spacious room, bare feet cold on the ship floor.  He made his way to his desk on the right and flopped into the chair staring up at all the model ships he’d collected.  Some were missing from the shelves, left in his place on Kadara.  Technically ‘his’ place, but whenever he was there Reyes rarely left.  If he did he always came back.  So it _could_ be construed as ‘their’ place, but Reyes refused to leave the god forsaken dump of a room in Tartarus and just move in. 

To be fair, Scott hadn’t actually asked him to move in either.  He’d just offered to give him a key so he could get in when he was away.

“Pathfinder you have new email.” Scott sat up quickly and clicked his screen on by touch, hoping for a reply from a certain shady bastard.  It was from Gil, at least he got the bastard part.

**To: Scott Ryder**

**From: Gil Brodie**

**Remember that time Suvi was actually worried you might fly off this rock in the Nomad?** **I do.**

A small smile reached his lips as he thought about the first time the Tempest had landed here. Gil had joked about them not having to worry about reaching escape velocity, though when it was conveyed by Suvi he was pretty sure she hadn’t realized it was a joke. Which made it much funner than it should have been.  He could still hear Gil's raucous laughter later in engineering and Suvi protesting that she knew it was a joke.

He, Vetra and Jaal had raced over the splinter of the planet laughing and hollering as they sent the Nomad careening over craters.  Scott had wanted to try to jump the giant gap separating part of the planet, but Vetra quickly talked him out of it.  There was a bridge there for a reason.

He chuckled for a moment then frowned as it occurred to him. It used to be fun, but they’d been here so many times now that the lack of gravity was more a nuisance than a game.

Wow. Apparently he was just _determined_ to be in a melancholy mood tonight.  Tipping his data pad up so he could see it he looked again at the open message.

**To: Reyes Vidal**

**From: Scott Ryder**

**I know I’ve only been gone for a week, but I already miss you. I know that’s corny and stuff, but I don’t think I say it enough...I love you. -Scott**

The message had no reply and hadn’t for the past three days.  That itself wasn’t really abnormal.  Reyes was a busy man, between being The Charlatan and his smuggling business he sometimes took days to reply.  One time it had taken a week. Scott smiled adoringly and thumbed through his archived messages from Reyes (which he definitely didn’t save)  finding said message.

**To: Scott Ryder**

**From: Reyes Vidal**

**First I must apologize carino, I was away on a business trip that didn’t go as planned.** **Nothing to worry about, those pirates won’t be bothering anyone else.**

**I received your pictures of Ryder-1 (I know you prefer to call it Habitat 7, but I like the idea of being on the arm of a man we named a planet after) It looks stunning.  I admit, I never thought about going there until you sent me those pictures.  Maybe we should escape Kadara and go on an adventure when you come home.**

**I love you. Come back soon.  -Reyes**

Scott smiled fondly even as his chest ached.  Long distance was something they knew would be unavoidable.  Reyes couldn’t run Kadara Port from the Tempest and Scott was still the human Pathfinder with the crushing weight of duty that came with the title. They both knew going in that they would spend time apart, but they did what they could to bridge the endless miles between them.  From emails to video calls at all hours of the day and night they kept in touch the best they could.

Scott sighed and closed out of his email console then stood and stretched tiredly.  He probably wouldn’t be hearing from his boyfriend tonight, so there wasn’t much point in staying up when they had a busy day of flying the ship and doing nothing tomorrow.

“Sam?”

“Yes Pathfinder?”

“Wake me if Reyes emails me.”

“Of course Pathfinder.”

Toeing off his sneakers and slipping out of his Blasto tank top and sweatpants he crawled wearily under the covers.  His bed was soft, but not as comfortable as the queen mattress Reyes had mysteriously procured for his place.  It definitely beat the twin they’d been squishing themselves onto whenever Reyes spent the night with him.  Though they ended up sleeping practically on top of each other anyway. He turned on his side, curling into a ball and cuddling up to his pillow trying to shove away the feeling of loneliness.

He really _was_ determined to be miserable tonight.

Dammit, he’d always been fine sleeping alone before he met Reyes, comfortable, spread over the entire bed.  Now he subconsciously slept on his side of the bed and always woke up reaching for someone who wasn’t there. Groaning in annoyance he rolled onto his back, hands pillowing under his head as his cerulean gaze mirrored the beams of lustrous blue on his ceiling and Sam turned out the lights.

It truly was a shame there was nothing left of the Turian golden world, this system was beautiful.

“Scott?” Sams metallic voice queried softly.

“Yeah Sam?”

“Kallo reports that the Tempest is ready to depart this system.”

Scott hummed softly, “Tell him to get a good night's sleep and we’ll leave for Voeld in the morning.”

“Yes Pathfinder.  I also recommend that you sleep now as well.  You have been sleeping less each night since we left Kadara. This is unhealthy given the amount of physical and mental activities you perform daily.”

Scott snorted, “Yes mom.”

“Though your mother is in stasis, I believe I knew her well.  If you wish me to fill her role I am certain she would be displeased that you will never give her grandchildren.”

That broke through his bad mood and Scott outright laughed, “Your jokes are getting better Sam!”

“I live to serve.”

Still chuckling he rolled onto his side, burrowing into his blankets.  “Goodnight Sam.”

“Good night Scott.” Sam replied as he turned on soft classical music, just barely audible.  Scott sighed and began dropping off as thoughts of soft dark skin, golden eyes and velvety, whiskey soaked words pulled him into dreams.  

****

 

He hated Voeld, he really did. That crap he spouted about it being the adventure they all signed up for when he first settled it?  All horse shit. Even with the terraforming network online Voeld was cold, icy and all around unpleasant.

It’s only redeeming qualities were one: it was an endless supply of water for the outposts and two: the sky was always a spectacular view.

Scott was standing outside the Nomad staring up into the green and blue aurora that swirled through the frozen sky. Next to him Liam was haggling with an Angaran merchant for some high tech blueprints for new weapons. Liam didn’t quite have Vetras silver tongue, but from what little Scott heard of the conversation he was paying no attention to, the merchant had dropped the price by 200 credits.

Boots crunched in the snow to his left and he turned his gaze from the sky to Cora. “It’s beautiful isn’t it?” She asked, hazel eyes searching the heavens in wonder. “Sometimes I think of building a mountain getaway cottage here.”

“I hear it snows on Kadara for a few months. That’s about all the cold I can take.” He admitted, staring in disgust at the endless sea of ice around them.

Cora smiled, “Winter isn’t your season?”

“I grew up on the temperature controlled Citadel.  Only read about seasons in books.” Scott shuffled from foot to foot, the cold was beginning to seep through the bottom of his boots.  He really hoped Liam was almost done.

“I hear Kadara actually has four seasons like Earth.”  She commented, glancing over her shoulder at Liam and the merchant.

Scott nodded, “Kinda.  Reyes says mostly it’s just hot with a three month cold spell.  Right now it’s still hot.”

“No spring or fall?”

He shrugged, “It’s kind of hard to tell.  There really aren’t any trees that change color and we don’t have a lot of flowering plants.”

When he turned to Cora again she was smiling at him.  “What?”

“You said ‘we’ when you were talking about Kadara.  Has the Pathfinder finally started to settle on a planet?”

Scott hummed and shrugged noncommittally, “Didn’t notice.” Settling down.  Is that what he was doing?  He had a steady relationship, if you could call being with someone like Reyes steady...More like thrilling even when they were doing nothing but talking over vid com.  He had his own place on Kadara, but that was provided by the outpost...

Liams boots crunched towards them, grinning and waving his data pad triumphantly.  “Got the blueprints Pathfinder!”

“I hope you didn’t break the bank Liam.”  Scott grumbled, his unnecessary foray into life changing questions forgotten.

“Please, I know how to get a good deal.”  

“Uh huh.  Like when you spent half our money on armor that we could have crafted for a quarter of the price?”  The three of them climbed back into the Nomad, Cora in the back and Liam passenger side, thumbing excitedly through the blueprints.

“This time it’s worth it I swear!”  He turned around to show Cora something while Scott blasted the heat and took off over an iced up lake.

There were a few more things to do while they were here.  A scientist at Techixx wanted to see him about some environmental developments, they needed to check up on Taerve Uni and drop supplies from the Nexus and apparently some of the colonists weren’t getting along with the local Angara, so of course it was his job to deal with that too.

He sighed, barely listening to Liam as he glanced down at the map display.  Techixx was closest, he would start there.

 

Back aboard the Tempest, Scott was enjoying a hot shower.  He couldn’t ever get warm after being on Voeld. The eternal ice ball seeped into his bones freezing him from the inside out.

Hot water splashed over his body, bringing cold limbs back to life, his skin tingling as his blood unfroze.  As far as he was concerned this was heaven and he really didn’t want to get out, but he was bone weary and hungry.

Drack had been cooking something that smelled divine in the galley and he was really hoping it would be ready by the time he was out and dressed. A hot meal and bed were exactly what he needed after a few days on Jack Frost's hell hole.

He stepped out of the shower, careful not to slip on the wet floor, and dried off.  Opting for a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt instead of his green and black Initiative standards his bare feet made their way from the lockers to his cabin.

The smell from the galley made his stomach rumble as he passed and he tossed the under suit of his armor and his Initiative clothes in the chute to be washed.

Pulling on a pair of socks he pressed the comm to the galley, “Hey Drack?”

“Yeah kid?”

“Is whatever you’re making done yet?”

“You’re the third person to ask me that!  You vultures will have to wait another hour.”  Drack growled back, clearly annoyed.  Crotchety old man.

“Right.” Scott clicked off the comm and sat down at his terminal.

“You have one hundred and ten new emails Pathfinder.”  Sam informed him, “I have marked any that require your immediate attention.”

Scott flopped back in his chair and groaned, “I thought once I saved Heleus I might get a break!”

“You are the Pathfinder.”  Sam stated flatly, making him feel a little like his outburst was childish.

“I’ll just bet Avitus doesn’t get hundreds of emails a day, lucky bastard.”  He grumbled and sat up straight again.  “Anything from Reyes?”

Sam was quiet for a moment, “No.”

Scott furrowed his brow and counted back on his fingers how many days ago he’d sent that message.

“You sent the message 12 days ago.” Sam beat him to the punch and Scott dropped his hands to the desk, drumming his right hand fingers.

“Maybe it was never delivered?”

“Perhaps, though at the time you sent it we had strong signal and we were not far from Kadara.”

That didn’t make him feel any better, “Hmm.”  Scott opened up his email.

**To: Reyes Vidal**

**From: Scott Ryder**

**Hi.  Did you get my last message? If you didn’t it’s okay, it was just me being sappy.  Email me soon. I love you. -Scott**

He sent the message and spent the next hour going through his important emails and sipping coffee.  He was so wrapped up in adding things to his ‘to-do’ list that he startled when Drack came over comm and spilled his coffee down the front of his shirt.

"Dinners ready kid." 

Scott sighed and pulled his shirt over his head tossing it in the chute to be laundered then grabbed another from his wardrobe. "Thanks Drack." Clicking open the last few messages he scanned them quickly and to his dismay found he would need to stay on Voeld for another day or two to help run ice to New Tuchanka. Perfect, just what he wanted to hear.

There was still no message from Reyes.

Frustrated he stood and stalked to the galley.  Reyes had better have a damn good reason for making him wait around like this.  If it was anything short of, _“I was in the hospital_ _unconscious…”_ He might have to get mad.  Reyes kept data pads and his omni tool on him.  There wasn’t any reason he should be taking this long!

He stepped into the galley, swooping up a bowl and dished himself up, sitting at what passed for a table on this ship.  Across from him Liam was staring at him. Scott tried to ignore it and eat, but he kept catching Liams chocolate gaze watching him.

“What?” He finally asked, irritated.  _Stop looking at me!_ Is what he wanted to scream, but he couldn't do that.  It wasn't Liams fault he was in this piss poor mood and he was too nice to take it out on his friends.

“You’ve got storm clouds over your head Pathfinder.  You all good?”

Scott sighed feeling the annoyance drain away and shrugged. “We’re going to have to stay on Voeld for a couple extra days.  Then we have to go to Elaaden.”

“That’s it?” Liam asked warily.

“You know how much I hate it here and there.” _‘I will not like it here or there...I will not like it anywhere…’_ His brain helpfully supplied and he wanted to kick himself in the head.

“Sure, but the last time I saw you this angry we were supposed to land on Kadara and you got called back to the Nexus.”

“I haven’t heard from Reyes for twelve days.” He finally spit out, the fire in his veins re-igniting.  What the hell could he possibly be doing for this long?   A small, dark corner of his mind offered some unwanted ideas.   _He could be ignoring you…_

Scott shoved that back down and added, “He just better have a good reason.”

Liam was quiet for a bit, “I’m sure he’ll get back to you.”  He offered lamely.

“Yeah.” Was all he said as he tossed his empty bowl in the sink and stormed back to his cabin.

 

*****

The trip from Voeld to Elaaden took about five days.  In that time Scott had to listen to Gil complain about all the crates in his way in the cargo bay, diffuse an argument between Liam and Drack, read over one hundred emails a day, diffuse another argument between Gil and Kallo, (seriously he thought they were done with the whole ‘This ship needs to be respected’  ‘This ship needs upgrades’ argument!)  Then he had to explain to Peebee that ‘no, she couldn’t skip her physical’ and ‘Yes, Lexi is going to do it whether she liked it or not.’  ‘No he wasn’t going to do it, he’s not a doctor'...Oh she was flirting.  On top of all that he had to field about a thousand calls from Director Tann and Director Addison.

To say that he was brain fried by the time they reached New Tuchanka was an understatement. He was actually _happy_ to get off the ship, even if the fiery sun of Hell was blazing overhead trying to blind him.

Reyes had sunglasses he never wore, he should have stolen them.

The crew disembarked and headed their separate ways while Scott oversaw the transfer of the crates of ice from the ship into the outpost.  A heavy hand came down on his shoulder out of nowhere and he spun around instinctively raising his hands instinctively.

“Easy tiger.  Just me.”  Gil grinned, “You know they’ve got proper drinks at The Paradise.  We should go.  You look like you could use a day out.”

“Yeah, maybe.” Scott shrugged noncommittally, turning back as one of the crates went dropping down the ramp of the ship, a couple colonists chasing after it.

His once friend-with-benefits-now-just-friend pulled his gaze back. “Look. You’ve been getting crankier by the day.  You need to blow off some steam. Come on Ryder, we’ll have a few drinks, play some poker.  I’ll trash you and take your money, it’ll be fun.”

Scott huffed and playfully shoved Gil. “Who says you’re gonna win this time?

“Feeling lucky today Ryder?” Gill quipped back.

”Well, it goes against the laws of probability that I’ll lose to you _every_ game.”  He reasoned and Gil laughed.

“Well it’s against the laws of probability that I’ll always go undefeated, yet here I stand.  Undefeated.”

“Your face is against the laws of probability.” Scott shot back, it was childish but he didn’t care.

Gil actually laughed, hard. “Yeah, getting someone this handsome out of my parents was pretty impossible.”

“Are you calling your parents ugly?  I bet they’re turning in their graves right now.  You’re haunted for sure.”

“Just saying I turned out pretty well for someone with my dad's genes.”  After the last crate was unloaded Gil threw an arm around his shoulders.  Scott tried to ignore the little flip his stomach did.  He was in love with Reyes, yes, but he wasn’t blind and Gil was insanely attractive. “Go change into something less...Pathfindery.  You’re officially off the clock.”

Scott rolled his eyes, but returned to his room to change.  He decided on a pair of black cargo shorts and a fitted white t-shirt. Might as well not die on Elaaden of heat stroke. He kicked off his boots, changing into red and grey sneakers.  His favorite pair, because they were worn and comfortable.

Stopping at the mirror he realized with a bit of embarrassment that his hair was a mess. He’d pretty much rolled out of bed and gone to oversee the unload.  Gelling it into some semblance of normal he addressed Sam. “Anything?”

“No Pathfinder. Perhaps we should attempt a video call?”

Scott shrugged, that little voice in the back of his mind rearing its ugly head again.   _Maybe he’s with someone else._ No!  That was stupid.  Reyes wasn’t cheating on him, he wouldn’t. “Worth a shot I guess.  We’ll do it when I get back.”

“I will prep the vid comm.”

“Thanks Sam.”  He stopped by the bridge to let Kallo and Suvi know that he and Gil were heading to The Paradise.  Suvi told him to “Have fun, but don’t get into trouble.” He just grinned and shot, “No promises.” Over his shoulder as he disembarked and met Gil at the Nomad.

 

A few hours later Gil was thrashing him.  Epically.  Yet, he was half drunk and didn’t really care!  Gil was paying for all their drinks, probably with his money, but it didn’t matter too much in the long run.

His friend was halfway through a story about Jill’s check-up and how the baby was healthy when Suvi interrupted over the comm.

“Pathfinder, you’ve a missed call.”

"Is _it Reyes?_ ” Scott asked Sam through their private channel.

_“No Scott, it was Addison.”_

Scott's hope deflated and he sipped his drink.  “I’ll take the call when I get back to the Tempest Suvi.”  He glanced up from his omni tool to Gil, “Where were we?”

“You were losing.”

“Right.  Back at it.”

The pair made it back to the ship in relatively good shape and around midnight.  Though the sun was just as bright now as it had been this morning so he had no real concept of time. Scott stumbled back to his room and flopped down on the bed, tired but in considerably better mood than he had been most of the week.

“Scott. You still have a missed call from Director Addison.”

Scott groaned and covered his head with a pillow in a very adult like fashion.  “She can wait till tomorrow.”

“Very well.  I believe you are too inebriated to hold an intelligent conversation with her.”

Scott giggled, “Yup! That’s why I made Gil drive.”  He sat up and stumbled over to his email terminal.  Ignoring all the new emails he started a new message.

**To: Reyes Vidal**

**From: Scott Ryder**

**Are yuu o.K.? I misz ou talk to me. Dib I do smothing wrong?**  

Squinting at the blurry screen he decided it looked alright (he would later be horribly embarrassed) and hit send then stumbled back to bed.  He was unconscious by the time his head hit the pillow.

 

There was a Fiend tap dancing on his brain and he was leaning heavily against the Vidcomm table on one hand, a cup of coffee held tightly in the other. Displayed before him was Addison's picture with a small hexagon next to her name that blinked indicating she had called.  Scott tried to pull his miserable, nauseous, hungover self together and return her call. He remembered this being a lot more fun when he was younger. Sipping at his coffee he continued to stare off into space trying to stop squinting at every light in the ship.

He stood there for what seemed like eternity, but finally built up the physical and mental fortitude to press the call button.

Her holographic blue (green? Whatever.) image appeared in front of him.

“Pathfinder.”  She greeted flatly.

“Addison.”  He croaked back wishing to whatever god may be that he could just go back to bed after this.

“I need you to come to the Nexus at your earliest convenience.”

“I have a few more things to finish on Elaaden and I’ll be on my way.”

“Very good Pathfinder. Addison out.” Scott sagged as soon as the transmission ended.

“Would you like to attempt a video call to Reyes?” Sam asked.

“Sure why not.” Scott said as Sam placed the call.  It went unanswered and Scott felt his heart clench up.  Okay, he wasn’t mad anymore he was starting to get worried.

“Sam.”

“Yes Scott?”

“What if something happened to him?”

“Perhaps Keema Dohrgun would know more?” Sam offered and Scott jetted towards his room.  He hadn’t even thought to ask Keema. If anyone knew where Reyes was it would be her! He opened his email.

**To: Keema Dohrgun**

**From: Scott Ryder**

**Do you know where Reyes is?  He hasn’t contacted me in weeks. - Scott**

“Sam alert me right away when she replies.”

“Yes Pathfinder.”

 

****

They were leaving the Nexus for Havarl, but Scott was not on the bridge.  He was in his room wearing a hole in the floor as he paced back and forth.  It wasn’t unusual for Reyes not to reply to him for a few days to a week, but it had been a month.  Scott couldn’t stop the dread that shot through him and gripped tightly.  Reyes hadn’t replied, neither had Keema.  He’d sent them both several messages but _nothing_.

“Sam.  What if something happened to him  What if he’s hurt or...or dead?”  He forced the last part of that sentence out feeling the air leave his lungs as the thought of his lover lying dead somewhere on Kadara surfaced in his mind.   _No. No. No._  This wasn’t happening, this couldn't’ be happening.  Reyes had to be okay, he had to be!

“In the unlikely event that Reyes Vidal would be careless enough to die I believe Vetra would have heard this information.”  This didn’t make him feel much better and he stopped pacing, casting his gaze to the blue orb across the room.

“There’s nothing!  Not from him or Keema.  Am I overreacting?”

“I believe you are acting within acceptable parameters of your stress level.” 

No.  He knew it, deep down he knew it.  “Something’s wrong.”  He turned and smashed the button for the comm.  “Kallo!”

His pilot replied immediately, “Yes Pathfinder?”

“Take us to Kadara.”

“Kadara?  I thought we were ordered to Havarl?”

Scott wasn’t in the mood to explain, “Just get us there Kallo!  Yesterday!”

The reply came after a few moments, Kallo obviously sensing something was amiss.  “Yes Pathfinder."

  
  


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for formatting problems. I have no idea what I'm doing....


	2. With A Loaded Gun

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2 mind the tags for this one. Unbeta'd. Sorry about any mistakes!

Scott paced the bridge as Suvi and Kallo eyed him warily.  He’d been on the bridge for the better part of an hour, staring into space willing Kadara to come into view so he could get his feet on the ground.

Finally, after what felt an eternity,  Kallo announced. “Entering the Gavorkam system Pathfinder.”

“Pathfinder, there’s something strange.” Suvi said looking up from her glowing console. Scott froze in place, his mind reeling with possibilities each one worse than the previous.  He took a deep breath and calmed himself before speaking so his voice didn’t waver.

“What is it?”

“Usually there’s a lot more communication traffic from Kadara.  I’m hardly picking up anything. A few transmissions here and there.  That’s it.”

Scott turned back to the planet in question, watching as it became larger with every passing moment. “Just get me down there!”  He hadn’t meant to snap, but he was barely keeping control over himself.  Kallos black eyes were on him and he looked at him apologetically before stalking off the bridge and into the armory. He had to calm down. He needed a clear head or he would do something stupid, miss something important that could cost Reyes his life if he were in danger. 

He grabbed his Carnifex pistol, his favorite weapon for the amount of damage it did, and an assault rifle just in case he needed speed over precision.  Flinging open the door of his locker he yanked out his favorite armor. His fathers old, black N7 armor that enhanced his biotic abilities. Walking towards the comm system on the wall he punched the button.  “Liam. Drack. Suit up, planet fall in fifteen.”

Ten minutes later the three of them were standing on the bridge.  Scott stood near the galaxy map, arms crossed, eyes narrowed at Kadara. Behind him Drack and Liam were standing ready. He was already brushing his fingers over his pistol.  Reyes had better be alright or he would personally escort each person in his way to the gates of Hell.

“Pathfinder, they’ve given us clearance to land.”  Kallo said, “Approaching the LZ.”

“I still don’t like it.”  Drack commented. “In my experience, whenever there’s a sudden drop in communications something  _ bad _ is going on.”

Liam nodded and Scott twisted to his side to look at both of them, “Don’t speculate.  We don’t know the situation yet.”  He had to admit that they were right, though.  He didn’t like it either, but he had to go down there.  He had to find Reyes.  "Still, be ready." 

Drack chuckled in that way that both chilled him and brought out a slightly more blood thirsty side of himself. "I always am."  

Slowly, Kadara Port came into view and Scott looked through the glass.  Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, nothing was on fire and there wasn’t a burning crater in the middle of the port.  That was a good start.

The ship jolted as it came to land on the docks, knocking Scott to his right and nearly right into his pilots lap.  He caught himself on the edge of the galaxy map and threw an accusatory glance at Kallo.

The Salarian cleared his throat, looking slightly embarrassed. “Ship is on planet Pathfinder.”

“No shit.” Scott shot back, but he smiled to show he wasn’t angry.  “Keep an eye on my ship Kallo.”

“Of course Pathfinder.”

 

He’d barely waited for the ramp to lower before his feet were on the ground, pounding straight for the lift that would take him to the slums. He didn’t stop to look around, his mind on one goal.  Get to Tartarus. 

Liam and Drack were on his heels and Liam was saying something to him as the lift descended, but Scott barely heard it over the pounding of his own heart.  As soon as the slums came into view he jumped over the railing, firing up his biotics and floating to the ground, hitting it with a soft  _ thud. _  Vaguely, he heard Liam call after him, but he was already booking it to the doors of the nightclub.

Scott bounced impatiently on the balls of his boot clad feet as the door, which was slow to react like all doors on Kadara seemed to be, processed his request to open. Finally, the door hissed and the overpowering odor of sweat and alcohol hit him like a wall.  He tried not to gag as he stepped inside, blinking to focus his eyes in the darker atmosphere. Why Reyes preferred this shit hole to just staying in his place was beyond him.   

There were so many people here.  More than he’d ever seen even on a busy night.  The club was packed front to back with humans, Turians, Asari and Salarians dancing, drinking and sitting around wherever they could find a seat.  A lot of them were simply sitting on the floor against the walls.

Scott began pushing his way through the crowd, aware that Liam and Drack had caught up to him. The night clubbers were so thick, however, that Scott wasn’t making much headway.  He’d barely made it to the middle of the room when Drack grabbed his shoulder and yelled over the music.

“Let me clear a path!.”

Scott furrowed his brow, not sure what his Krogan friend meant by that then watched with wide eyes as Drack simply started bowling through the crowd, knocking people this way and that.

Liam pushed at him, urging him to start moving.  The people weren’t hurt, angry yes, but not hurt.  He ran after Drack through the path he made apologizing as he went.

Quickly, they reached the stairs, which had less people milling around on them.  Scott took the steps two at a time and bounded through the practically upper floor of the nightclub.

Punching in the override code at the door to Reyes private room he waited for the door to click open.  As he waited his mind began supplying him with images of what he’d find beyond, none of them helpful for keeping his panic level down.  Then the door swished open and Scott was both relieved and disappointed the room was empty.

He stepped inside and surveyed the space.  Nothing looked out of place, there were no signs of a struggle, on the table sat an empty bottle without a label.  Scott picked it up and took a whiff. Whiskey.

“I don’t think he’s here.”  Liam commented as he looked around the room curiously.  It occurred to Scott that Liam had never seen this room. It was a fleeting realization though as he made his way to the terminal in the corner.

“Sam, get me into this thing.”

“A moment.”  Sam replied and thirty seconds later Scott was looking at a list of emails a mile long. Most of them were unread and he skipped through, noting the dates of them all.  He paused as he found his own unread emails.

“Bring up the last opened message.” Scott ordered as fear began to grip him and hold tight again. A message popped up in front of him.

**To: Reyes Vidal**

**From: anonymous**

**Hello Charlatan. I had no love for Sloane Kelly.  I’m glad she’s gone, but I can’t say I really like what you’ve done with the place either.  I thought things would get better under the Collective.  They haven’t.  Kadara is still the devils shithole. Watch your back Charlatan.**

“Sam, is there a way to trace this back?”

“No Pathfinder, the message is untraceable.”

“Shit!” Scott shoved away from the terminal, angry and terrified all at once.  He had always dreaded this moment.  That one day being the Charlatan would get Reyes hurt or killed and he wouldn’t be there to help him.

“Scott, breathe.  You will find Reyes.  I will assist you however I can.”  Sam said as comfortingly as an AI voice could over their private channel. Scott released a shaky breath he hadn’t known he was holding.

“Okay.  We’re going to Collective headquarters.”  The trio rode the lift back up in silence, except the quick explanation of the email he had read.  When the stepped back into Kadara Port Scott realized something he hadn’t when they first landed.

There was no one there to check their weapons.  Kadara Port was still a cease fire zone even under the Collective.  Where were the dock guards?  In fact, where was the dock manager?

Then something more troubling came to his attention.  If the dock manager wasn’t here, who had given them clearance to land?

“Told you something’s wrong here.”  Drack said, clutching his Krogan hammer tighter.

“I know Drack...” He wasn't in the mood for 'I-told-you-so' right now. Taking a step forward Vetra suddenly came over comms and his heart stopped for a couple seconds.  With a hand on his chest he shook his head, Lexi would literally have him drawn and quartered if he died again.

“I’m at the Collective headquarters.  You better get over here.”  Vetra said and the urgency in her voice had him in motion. 

“When did you...Never mind!  On my way.” Scott relayed as he and his friends took off in a full run, stopping only long enough to wait for the door.  As they turned the corner and came in sight of the marketplace, Scott skidded to a halt and looked around.  The marketplace was completely empty, shops torn up and looted for weapons and other supplies, but what was most disturbing was the bodies lined up neatly to their right in front of Krallas song.

“What happened here?”  Liam whispered, weapon held ready.

“Nothing good.”  Drack replied as the three of them made their way towards the stinking mess of limbs and blood.

Scott scanned them quickly with his eyes noticing the same symbol on the chest plate of each of the deceased. “They’re all Collective…”

“Pathfinder!  I saw movement!”  As soon as the words were out of Liams mouth gunfire began raining down on them.  Scott grabbed Liam by the back of his armor and dove for cover as the bullets ricocheted off his shield, eating it away in a matter of seconds.  Drack was already charging in, a mighty yell billowing out of his mouth as Scott heard, but didn’t see, his giant hammer come down on some poor exile.  The man screamed and went silent with another sickening crunch.

The bullet fire changed direction and Scott popped up from behind the wall, aiming his pistol at an exile that was opening fire on Drack.  His head exploded with a spray of red and four of the others turned their attention back to Scott.

“Pathfinder!  Move up! I’ll cover you!”  Liam yelled over the din. Scott nodded, rolling over the wall and sprinting forward towards the empty shop the man he’d killed was firing from.  Liams gun was firing left and right, skirting around him as he ran, the exiles dropped back behind cover except one.  A man stepped out and right into his path, aiming for Scotts head.

“Bad plan!” Scott exclaimed as he charged his biotics, feeling the static power coursing through his body. He reeled his arm back and flung it forward as a Shockwave tore across the ground, the sheer force of the biotic explosions sending the man flying to the the left and into a wall with a loud crack.   He didn’t get back up.

Three more men jumped from behind a shop counter and opened fire on him.  Scott snarled and charged forward, the world blurring around him as he shot across the distance and smashed into the unlucky bastard.  He flew backwards into the counter and dropped dead at Scott's feet.  The other two exiles looked at him in shock, momentarily forgetting their weapons.

Scott jumped at their surprise and blew the head right off one of them, stabbing the other with his Omniblade.  The man and woman crumpled to the ground and Scott took a look at them, then he realized he recognized the symbol they worse.

“They’re Outcasts!” He yelled over the comm.

“Took you this long to figure that out kid?”  Drack shot back and Scott took a moment to locate his squad.  Drack was bringing his hammer down on a Salarian and Liam had moved up, this time firing from the cover of a bunch of heavy crates.  There was another weapon on the field, firing never ending rounds into what was left of the Outcasts.  He followed the fire towards the door of the Collective headquarters and saw Vetra standing there, spraying the field with bullets.

The last four of them had abandoned fighting and were now running for their lives.  Scott aimed his pistol and shot one of them through the head and she fell just as soon as a grenade landed in the middle of the group.  They tried to jump away, but it was too late and the last three were blown sky high, coming back down in a steaming heap on the ground.

“I think we’re done here.” Scott said over comms as he ran towards the Collective headquarters, Drack and Liam following.

“Why didn’t they attack when you came through?” Scott questioned as he reached the door where Vetra was holstering her weapon.

“My guess? They wanted you.” She opened the door, letting the group enter.

The smell hit him first and he gagged, wishing he’d left his helmet on.  On his left, Liam was barely holding on to his lunch in a corner.  Death. The corridor reeked of it.

“This way.” Vetra said, seeming unaffected by the stench.

Scott followed her and rounded the corner, finding the source of the smell.  On the floor lay two Angara, bloated and ashen, one bullet hole in each head between their misty, glossed over eyes.  It was an execution. Vetra was crouched over one of them, picking up a data pad.  A few moments and she had opened it.

“Anything?” Scott asked, holding the back of his hand to his mouth, trying not to loose all his dignity by throwing up on Vetras feet.

“Just a navpoint in Drullir.” The four of them made their way to the door where Keema ruled from and Vetra tried to open it.  Scott stood behind her shuffling nervously, he really hoped Keema wasn’t dead in there.

“The door is powered down and sealed. I can’t open it.”

“Perhaps I could offer assistance via the scanner.”  Sam offered and Scott scanned the door.

“It has been sealed and the power was cut from the other side.” Sam explained.

“Can you get us in?”

“Perhaps.  Try to reroute power from the generator and I will attempt to break the encryption.”

Scott wasted no time in hooking up the generator, once the door had power again Sam began trying to hack it open.  He paced outside the door for five minutes before Sam announced the door was unlocked.

Scott punched the button and the door opened halfway then stuck. He growled in annoyance and tried to push it open, but it wouldn’t budge. His temper quickly got the better of him and he shimmered with blue light as he used his biotics to shove the door open.  Scott stepped into the room.  He wished he hadn’t.  It was everything he’d feared.

Bullet marks littered the walls, the floor was covered in hard splatters and congealed pools of Angara blood.  The dead littered the whole room and this time Scott threw up, the smell of rotting flesh overpowering him.

Drack was the first to step forward and begin exploring the room.  “Your boyfriend's friend isn’t here.” He announced.

“Think she got away?” Vetra questioned, looking around for any clues. “Someone had to lock the door.”

“I did that.”  A gentle Salarian voice said from behind the throne in the middle of the room.  She peeked around, young looking, colored pink and white.

Scott managed to compose himself and walked towards her, holstering his pistol.  “I’m Scott Ryder. What happened here?”

“I know who you are.  You’re the Pathfinder.”  She stepped out, eyes darting nervously around the room.

“Easy there.” Scott said gently as he walked towards her, one hand out like he was trying to calm a wounded animal.  “Can you tell me what happened?”

She closed her eyes and drew in a breath. “I am Raile’k.  New Collective recruit.  I’m a pilot.”

Scott nodded encouragingly, “Go on.”

Her eyes flitted from body to body before she answered. “Three weeks ago I was delivering a package to the Charlatan.  I was standing right here when a Turian and a human walked in and began shooting everyone!”

“What happened to the Charlatan?” Scott pressed, worry for Keema growing by the moment.

“I don’t know exactly.  I dove into the supply closet over there.”  She pointed a long, slender finger towards the open closet.  “I heard her fire back, then a scream and then nothing.  They were gone.  I...was too scared to leave so I locked the door.  I’ve been living off the supplies in the closet, but now you’re here and it must be safe.”

Scott nodded, “Yeah it’s safe, go home, get out of this place.”  She practically ran out the door and Scott followed.  “A Turian and a human…”

“Hey kid! Come check this out.”

Scott booked it to the hallway on the left that led to the cells.  The dread he was just barely holding in check now took over every part of his heart and mind as he looked at the broken cell door.  “Kaetus.”  He breathed, eyes wide.

“Who’s Kaetus?” Liam asked, pushing his way through.

“Sloanes right hand man...maybe a bit more from what I’ve heard.”  Vetra answered, examining the broken cell.

“He blames me for Sloanes death.” Scott added, terrified. _If Kaetus knows about Reyes…_. His blood began pounding and suddenly he felt light headed, like he was about to pass out.  

_"Scott, breathe."_   Sam ordered over their private channel. _"He would keep Reyes alive until he has you both. He knows you'll look for him."_  

"Pathfinder?"  Liam questioned with a hand on his shoulder as Scott inhaled and exhaled slowly to get a grip on himself. The last time he'd been this scared for someone it was when the Archon had his sister.  

“He has Reyes. I’m sure of it.”  The words rolled out of him shakily as he rose to his full height, turning on his heels to leave the headquarters.

“What’s the plan?” Liam asked, jogging up to his side.

“Find the Outcasts.  Kill them until we find out where he is.”

“I can get behind that. Let's go.”

“I would start with this nav point.”  Vetra encouraged, handing Scott the data pad. “Might be something, might be nothing.  It's probably a trap.”

“Mark that nav Sam.”  Trap or no trap that was their best lead.

Drack sidled up on Scotts other side.  “You’d better bring me along. People tend to talk when you threaten them with a Krogan. Especially a Krogan with 1000 years of experience in hurting people.”

Scott nodded his thanks as they made their way across the port. Soon they were back on the lift and the moment it touched the ground Scott ran and vaulted over the gates to the Badlands.

 


End file.
